Spike Lee reacts to the new pope having Knicks ties

Director Spike Lee and Pope Leo XIV have something in common: They both have ties to the New York Knicks.

Lee is arguably the most famous Knicks fan on the planet, having been a courtside ticketholder to their games for decades. Scarcely a game goes without cameras panning to him at least several times.

As for Pope Leo XIV, the American-born pope is a graduate of Villanova University and appears to follow the basketball team. And as it so happens, several members of one of their greatest teams are currently playing for the Knicks.

Back in 2016, he reposted an announcement that Villanova had won the title. They achieved that win with the help of Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart — who all play for the Knicks.

So when Lee found out that Leo XIV might have ties to some of his favorite Knicks, he ran to Instagram to proclaim that his team is destined to win the NBA Finals:

"The VATICAN Voted In ROBERT FRANCIS PREVOST As Their 267th PONTIFF. He Is The 1st P0PE From The UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. Born In Chicago, Illinois. And For My NEW YAWK KNICKS FANS His Alma Mater Is VILLANOVA UNIVERSITY (BRUNSON,HART And BRIDGES Won NCAA Rings At VILLANOVA) What A HOLY BLESSING. THE KNICKERBOCKERS ARE G-NNA WIN THE 2024-2025 NBA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP. IT IS DIVINITY.GOD BLESS," Lee wrote.